Name Change????

DeeJay3

Hi - I am new to the board so just a quick intro first - my FI is in the Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa - which is why I have the pressing name change question.

We are getting married in Atlanta on December 30th and moving back to Japan within the week after the wedding. Unfortunately, this means (or if my research is right) we will not have the certified marriage license to get all the name change and document changes necessary. So here is my question has anyone gone ahead and legally changed their name before the wedding? How difficult was it? Or has anyone had to wait for months to change their name but gone through the DEERS process and then changed their name??

Sorry for all the questions on my first post but if I am going to get my name changed before I move to Japan I need to NOW.

THANKS!

shan87

I didn't change my name before, but what I would do it get a couple copies of certified marriage certificate. That way you can do most of the changes remotely just send it the ceritified copy. Your county/state might allow a rush ceritifed copy. I would call the courthouse and see what it takes to get your marriage certificate rushed. That being said we got ours within a couple days of the wedding. I want to say 3-5 days. If your county is that quick you should be able to take it with you and do the DEERE stuff while in Japan.

Kara's hubby just got back from Japan and SammyJoe H's is still there I believe. They may be way more helpful with Japan stuff.

LuluP82

Well, I didn't have to go to Japan, but I am also super lazy so haven't finished changing my name yet...

You definitely can't change your name first. In most states, changing your name upon marriage and divorce is quick and easy, but other than in those situations it's a giant pain and you have to petition for a name change and go before a judge.

You generally are supposed to go to SS and change your name there for it to be "official". CHeck and see if you can do that remotely (by mailing in your certificate). I haven't done that and I've been married for over a year! For that reason, I have to file taxes in my maiden name and technically in H's orders, I have my maiden name since they ask for a copy of my SS card for that. My passport is also in my maiden name, but honestly those are expensive so I wouldn't have gotten a new one until it expired anyway.

For DEERS, they just asked me for the marriage certificate (which we got right away, ask if you can go and file it yourself. We did that in VA and got it in 5 minutes) and if I wanted my name changed and to what. They didn't ask for my "official" change via SS. I then went to the DMV because my license was expiring, and they changed it even though SS didn't have my name changed yet (they generally WON'T do this, but they did for me). Like I said, yet to change SS card and passports.

Just MAKE SURE your tickets are purchased in your maiden name so you can board with your current passport.

Absolute worst case scenario is you'll have a different name in DEERS, your mil ID, your credit cards (most just do it over the phone) than you will on your passport, etc. until you return to the US and can go to SS. In my view as long as you have one photo ID that matches your credit careds, you're usually fine anyway, and I have several (lazy like me) friends who have two names still because of not getting everything changed over.

I have GOT to go to SS. Ugh.

DeeJay3

Besides DEERS another huge part to the name thing is I am graduating right before the wedding and my degree has to be the same last name as my license or I at least have to have the marriage license to take the boards and get my certification license which all will have to be in my new name or the changing process from maiden to married last name is an even bigger pain in the butt and EXPENSIVE.

So truthfully I guess my real question is how in the world do I change my name (license, SS, and passport since I have to take my test in Tokyo or Australia) while in Japan if unable to do it before we move?! Do you have to physically be in the US to change all these things...

LuluP82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_name-change-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:c45c31a7-ec82-4011-9a91-8ac44b95ac6cPost:877b0ff7-4d7b-4160-8980-bf6e7b46b743">Re: Name Change????</a>:
[QUOTE]Besides DEERS another huge part to the name thing is I am graduating right before the wedding and my degree has to be the same last name as my license or I at least have to have the marriage license to take the boards and get my certification license which all will have to be in my new name or the changing process from maiden to married last name is an even bigger pain in the butt and EXPENSIVE. So truthfully I guess my real question is how in the world do I change my name (license, SS, and passport since I have to take my test in Tokyo or Australia) while in Japan if unable to do it before we move?! <strong>Do you have to physically be in the US to change all these things...
</strong>Posted by DeeJay3[/QUOTE]

I would start by calling the courthouse/wherever your license will be filed and see how long it will take to get your certificate, and if you can do anything (i.e. file yourself) to expedite it.

Then, I'd call the social security people. That's the first step. Then your state DMV. Your passport can be done by mail or via an embassy in Japan, so that's not a huge issue. You can also call the embassy in Japan and ask them if they can do that for you from over there-- I'm guessing they can.

ETA-- if you can't mail your SS name change/DMV name change in, then you can call or email the embassy or consulate in Japan and ask them what services they offer. It's usually EASIER to get a passport and such abroad (usually a same day thing). I've done it several times.

kara811

Shan-We're still here! But H and I are leaving Japan for good soon! We're just working on our  move, it's a lot more complicated than one would think. 

OP-I wouldn't even try to change your name that soon after the wedding, it's not impossible to do it but it would be very difficult. First, you'll need a certified marriage certificate in hand, which some places take up to 10 days, I know ours did. 2nd, before you can change anything else, you'll have to change your name with SS first and in some areas, you can only do this in person. In my county, you have to be there in person to get this done. So you'll have to look up both these. Also, you'll need 2 forms of ID when you go to DEERS. 

If you won't have a certified married certificate when you get here, then you won't be able to get to a military ID. They're a bit more strict out here I noticed. They may also want your H to have his Page 2 updated with you on it already before they will enroll you in DEERS. This is what happened in our case and it could take some time if your H's personnel is busy. 

Anyway, I'm in the same exact spot as you. I hadn't changed my name when I got my ID so it still says my maiden name. I didn't have the chance to change my name until 4 months after our wedding. Everything else are also still under my maiden but my SS card. H and I are actually going in today to change my name on my military ID(all they need from me now is H's updated Page 2 again and my new SS card and 2 forms of ID). I won't be changing my DL until we get to our new duty station. It's perfectlly fine if you can't change your name yet OP, especially if you need your maiden name for your graduation. HTH and if you have any other questions, ask away! 

ETA: for clarification

shan87

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_name-change-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:c45c31a7-ec82-4011-9a91-8ac44b95ac6cPost:98b1390e-31f6-4d3a-8429-acdb3f284d53">Re: Name Change????</a>:
[QUOTE]S<strong>han-We're still here! But H and I are leaving Japan for good soon! We're just working on our  move, it's a lot more complicated than one would think.</strong>  OP-I wouldn't even try to change your name that soon after the wedding, it's not impossible to do it but it would be very difficult. First, you'll need a certified marriage certificate in hand, which some places take up to 10 days, I know ours did. 2nd, before you can change anything else, you'll have to change your name with SS first and in some areas, you can only do this in person. In my county, you have to be there in person to get this done. So you'll have to look up both these. Also, you'll need 2 forms of ID when you go to DEERS.  If you won't have a certified married certificate when you get here, then you won't be able to get to a military ID. They're a bit more strict out here I noticed. They may also want your H to have his Page 2 updated with you on it already before they will enroll you in DEERS. This is what happened in our case and it could take some time if your H's personnel is busy.  Anyway, I'm in the same exact spot as you. I hadn't changed my name when I got my ID so it still says my maiden name. I didn't have the chance to change my name until 4 months after our wedding. Everything else are also still under my maiden but my SS card. H and I are actually going in today to change my name on my military ID(all they need from me now is H's updated Page 2 again and my new SS card and 2 forms of ID). I won't be changing my DL until we get to our new duty station. It's perfectlly fine if you can't change your name yet OP, especially if you need your maiden name for your graduation. HTH and if you have any other questions, ask away!  ETA: for clarification
Posted by kara811[/QUOTE]


lol well I was close :-p

DeeJay3

Thanks for everyones help - After several hours of research I figured it all out!!

Looks like as long as we can get the certified marriage certificates right after the wedding then I can go in and change my SSC to my new last name and then when we get out here I can get my passport changed - which I can then use to change my name for my certification/licensure test!!

The only thing I won't be able to change is my driver's license since in my state I have to have my new SSC and they say that will take about 10 days and we will be long gone to Japan by then but we will still probably give it a shot! Oh well - I won't need that to get into DEERS/Tricare right?? I am already in the system (military all my life) and we are going to try to get my new ID with new last name before we leave for Japan from the base I live close to. Hoping it will be super easy to just switch over last names!!

Newest challenge - Visa? No clue how this works.

kara811

DeeJay: You don't need a visa to live in Japan, but you do have to be sponsored by SOFA. Are you SOFA sponsored? Does your H even have accompanied orders? If not, then you won't be sponsored. A tourist visa will be stamped on your passport once you go through the immigration here, that is good for 3 months. I think there's a way of living here without being sponsored but I'm not sure how to work that out. 

DeeJay3

Kara: I will be coming over unsponsored. FI only has a few months left after we get married before we PCS. I didn't even think to think at my passport from this trip (in Japan right now) and check out the tourist visa - oops! International travel confuses me. I have no idea what will do but if all else fails I use up my 90 days and go back to the US to get ready for the move.